Waiting and waiting for Game 4

I mean, I’m sure Marc Staal and Dan (Joe) Girardi (the Block Ness Monster) are glad they’ve got an extra day to pack on the ice and not get 30 minutes of vicious hockey against one of the more dangerous and belligerent players in the league.

But after three games where the Rangers and Capitals really got after each other, having to wait is awful.

I’m planning on attending practice again today. Then a special treat … Josh Thomson, 26, is going to cover Game 4 with me.

One little note from yesterday that I forgot to pass along is that Martin Biron went for a little twirl by himself on the ice, for the first time since he broke his collarbone on trade deadline day. He’s still a pretty long way from returning as the bone continues to heal, and he won’t even be facing shots for a while.

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In the meantime, the NHL awards finalists begin to be announced today at noon, when the league gives us the three players up for the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year). I imagine Derek Stepan collected some votes. Not sure if he got enough to be nominated.

I think it’s obvious that the Rangers are on the verge. I am predicting a 5-2 victory tomorrow, and sweeping the series in 6. How can we not lose. The Caps are terrible, and the Rangers should be up 3-0.

Not sure about the nature of the NHL/NBC deal. If the League is essentially renting the broadcast or getting very little in return for it, why would NBC be calling the scheduling shots? If the League wanted a more traditional pace to the series, wouldn’t they get it?

Boudreau should shut up since he has never won anything. If he didn’t have Ovechkin to bail him out he’d have been dumped a long time ago. He’s a chubby Mr. Potato Head with a pea sized brain & will be fired after the more-talented Craps lose this series to the Rangers.

Manny- I think that’s the case. Gilroy needs to be qualified at his current salary (not the cap hit), which is $2.1M. That seems to be too pricey. They will try to offer him a multi-year deal at a lower wage per year. If he doesn’t accept, he will be a free agent. Not sure what he can get on the market this offseason.

CT was saying something yesterday about a re-negotiation allowing the Rangers to reduce his cap hit by offering more years at a lower price I guess? I am really excited about having him around. That would be great. We would have a really solid Defense that hopefully Del Zotto can be a part of.

Brucey and Co. should stop whining. They are in the drivers seat here. This series could easily be 3-0 Rangers and the Caps are up 2-1. So shut up and play like a #1 seed. They whine like they have already lost the series. It’s pathetic. Although, as a Rangers fan – I love it. I love to see them feeling down about themselves – like the world is against them. No matter how hard they try nothing will go their way, etc.

Manny, the qualifying offer is made to retain his rights as a RFA. They can forgo that process and work out a deal. The Rangers would prefer to sign him for a smaller cap hit than his QO and from Gilroy’s perspective the only way he’d take less money per year is for a longer contract.

yeah, I really like Gilroy too. But at $2.1 million? Arguably one of the more overpaid guys on the low-end of the salary spectrum. With all the good defensive prospects, Gills is gonna need to take a paycut. Besides, I can’t see a team paying over what the Rangers will likely offer him. I do think the fact that he’s in the lineup over Eminger suggests Tortorella finally has faith to keep him in the lineup, which certainly bodes well for him getting resigned.

Boudreau’s comments show he is crazy – like a fox. He is trying to shift the focus off his team and on to him. You have to wonder if the Caps are that fragile after blowing series leads the last two years in the playoffs – including last year to an eight seed.

Gilroy essentially got paid on the RFA scale instead of the ELC scale due to his undrafted FA status coming out of BU. He’ll probably slide back to somewhere between the ELC or 1st year RFA scale if he signs a multiyear deal.

Boudreau’s comments are probably a decoy to deflect blame from his team. Call it gamesmanship or artfully using the media or whatever, it happens every year. I remember in the 02 Olympics when Gretzky went off in the press after Canada struggled in the round robin stage and everyone saw it as a way to draw the heat onto him rather than the team.

However what I found peculiar is that he’s not trying to draw attention to the officials or even the other team, but to the fans. What purpose does that serve other than to whip MSG into a frenzy for the next game (and the clincher in game 6!)?

The pressure has always been, currently is and will always be on the Caps to win this series and avoid another early upset as a top seed. The Caps have been far from running away with anything in this series and the entire complexion of the series changes if they blow a chance to return home with a chance to clinch the series on home ice versus returning with their metaphorical tail between their legs while blowing a 2-0 advantage.

ilb, when I said scale I was solely referring to the payscale not including the structure or inherent clauses of an ELC. We all agree he’s not worth the $2M+ cap hit, but he’ll get offered probably around the higher end of an ELC (1st round pick) type money.

I was watching some highlight reel stuff (especially that between the legs shot in game 2) and thinking that Christensen can do *all* of that stuff when no one else is on the ice. If he could only do it when other people are on the ice with him!

Part of me understands what Boudreau is trying to do because in the playoffs it is the coaches job to play games with the officials and plant seeds hoping to get the benefit of calls the next game out.

But if this were Mike Keenan or Scotty Bowman doing it, I’d understand. This is Bruce “I can’t win a playoff series” Boudreau we’re talking about. And his actions come across not as a coach trying to shift the chess pieces on the board for next game, but a little kid who skinned his knee outside and wants his mommy to kiss it.

The Caps ARE a fragile bunch emotionally. I can’t remember seeing a supposed contender get so up for a goal and look so crushed when they give one up. I mean, this is the first round of the playoffs? By comparison, think of the Rangers early in their ’94 run. Stoic, mild celebrations when they scored and determination after giving one up.

Neuvirth looked crushed after the Dubinsky goal. Ovie laying on the ice like he’d been shot. I mean, really??

Tomorrow’s game is crucial. If the Rangers can somehow get to the Caps early (and the key is to play at just a high tempo as last game) I would not surprised if Neuvirth buckles and Caps start to panic.

And if the Rangers can even this series…just imagine how much pressure will be on the Caps for Game 5. ESPECIALLY after an extra day of press saying how their team has a history of epic playoff collapses.

Rangers’ mission is simple…take it to them. Hard.

Hank’s favorite movie quote from 300? “Give them nothing…but take from them, everything!”

Boudreau was whining that the BENCHES aren’t comfortable for his players? Really? How are the bruises from our boys drilling you feeling? Is that part of MSG?

If he wants to distract from his team – he did it. Problem is – Torts is ignoring him and focusing on winning and the only people he is annoying is the fans – who will probably throw stuff at him tomorrow.

I am going to the game tomorrow with my new husband (we’ve been married for less than a month).

I told him this in advance:
“You may not want to know me tomorrow night. I am OK with you pretending you have no idea who I am. However, if you tell me to calm down or quiet down once during the game, we’re going to have a BIG problem.” LOL

So glad that Boudreau decided to piss off a bunch of New Yorkers. That’s a great plan. Put the focus on our fans – our team will focus on the game and the fans will focus on annoying the bejesus out of you.

Roe – I’ve made similar comments to my girlfriend of over a year. She’s beginning to understand my hockey obsession and even went to a Rangers-Isles game with me for my b’day.

But Sunday was her first chance to sit with me for a playoff game and I gave her full warning. “I’m gonna be extremely emotional these next few hours. Bear with me. Take nothing personally”

So with my yelling and screaming she ignored it…when the Caps tied it she ignored the expletives…she got a kick out of the THREE phone calls I got from family members scattered around NYC and LI to bitch about the non-goal…and when Dubi scored and I jumped out of the couch and landed with not a small amount of force she said “My neighbors…they’re gonna think a body just hit the ground”

But she’s stayed with it. She understands it. And said it best to her friend while they chatted on the phone “Chris is here….he’s watching playoff hockey…it’s like he’s not here. I could dance naked in front of him and he probably wouldn’t notice.”

To which I responded “I’d notice…but depending upon the score I can’t say I’d act on it just that second”

Playoff hockey…gotta love it.

And the fans at MSG had BETTER give it to Tubby Boudreau long and hard throughout the night. A chant of BOOOOOOO-DROWWWWWWW would be sweet if the Rangers are ahead by a couple.

Big game tomorrow. Rangers can’t hold anything back. And for the love of God….is there a chance Torts has talked some sense into his PP unit??

I saw that Deadspin article earlier and it brings up some valid points.

ESPN, while giving the sport more visibility, would treat the NHL like a second-class citizen. HOWEVER, what the article fails to point out is the possibility of no NFL or NBA next season. If even the NBA is gone for a while, the interest in the NHL could return to what it was back in the mid-90’s…who knows?

That said, I actually have noticed some positive changes in the Versus/NBC coverage since Comcast took over (except having good replays for a goal that missed by 0.1 seconds).

CJP – totally with you – My Fiance is a lifer hockey (NYR) fan but she does not really believe in this team that is currently on the ice so she is a bit quiet. She did go crrrrrrrrrazy with my (running laps around our apartment and slapping door jams) when Dubi scored. That was a moment. She usually just yells at me or goes into the other room and calls her family when I am losing it. Then after the game I get a speech about how it’s unhealthy to lose it to this extent over a team.

I stay calmer at the games than I do at home. She has had a few conversations with me and it is now just understood that I am not available during Rangers game be they regular or post season.

MD – The Doctor is in the house with the diagnosis! I hope it’s not too. That would be too Giambi-like.

Very similar situation on Sunday, except my entire family was together to celebrate Palm Sunday. When the eight of us returned from the game at 7:30 pm, we finally ate dinner. LOL There would’ve been calls had we not been together.

i will get to the garden by 300 pm on wednesday and wait for boudreau to come off the bus. i will boo and yell at him for all the boneheads here. shut your trap and stop the whining. your the 1 seed act like it you piece of carcillo

I don’t know how many of you folks were born when
Jackie Gleason had his wonderful late night comedy show, wherein he depicted various types of personalities. They called the show The Honeymooners. Jackie and Art Carney and Audrey Meadows.

I mention this because of one character that Jackie invented was what he called ‘ The Poor Soul”. This was a schlepping kind of guy who moped around and got walked over by everyone, and he was incapable of making any response. The jams he got into in all innocence were laughable.

Well………..unfortunately one of our favorite villains has deteriorated to the range of the Poor Soul, (and really, I must pause to wipe a tear from my eye as I write this), it seems that we really don’t have Carcillo to kick around any more. Poor fellow. No one takes him seriously any more. He is reduced to sulking and meandering around the ice, and occasionally bumping shoulders with an opposing player ( and is largely ignored), and the fear factor is minus the notability factor…he does some glowering ( but even that has an plaintive quality to it….he has become the Poor Soul of the NHL. At times he almost appears to be about to break out in tears of frustration. The little shadow has taken the place of the Tasmanian Devil. Perhaps at the end of the season, the league can throw a “Let’s all gather around Carcillo, and try to look scared event.” We can’t send the poor dolt home with this non recognition of his “dangerous” condition …can we? Poor Soul.

The funny thing about “it’s just pain” is that Prust wasn’t even trying to be a tough guy – he was pointing out that it wasn’t as though this was some injury that could get much worse if he continued to play, it was only pain.

“The Poor Soul”…You know, my brother and I laughed for hours at a 2 hour VHS tape my Dad had called “The Great Gleason” which showcased all of his characters. Grew up watching that over and over again along with, of course, the Classic 39 Honeymooners Episodes.

My family still has a tradition of watching “We’re No Angels” every christmas. And I don’t mean that lame DeNiro-Penn movie. I’m talking the original classic with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray. Please tell me I’m not alone on this board with love for that movie and it’s endless hilarious quotes.

Okay…back to hockey!!!

I hate this extra day off…but you gotta believe and extra day of rest will help the Rangers as opposed to hurting them at this point.

Agree CJP – I was really bummed about the momentum – especially when Boyle said they wanted to get right back out there. I guess some guys must be in a lot of pain (which is just pain). Probably another day to rest would be good. Although, sometimes the extra day makes it hurt more?

Nice – Mustaches and looking like an idiot intensifies team unity. I would love to have our team have unity. We might have to glue a mustached onto Fedotenko because it appears he cannot grow facial hair.

Funny, people will get that BooBoo is trying to deflect attention to him.
So come game time what will they do?
Instead focusing their efforts on cheering for the Rangers, they’ll start some silly Boudreau chant.
The Rangers will surely feed off of that and it will knock the Caps totally off their game. Have fun.

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Dubinsky got what he called a fortunate bounce and scored the winning goal with 1 minute 39 seconds left. “It’s hilarious,” Marian Gaborik, the Rangers’ right wing, said of Dubinsky’s mustache. “But it’s good. It’s brought us luck. He has to keep it up.”
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Maybe Gaborik should also grow a Stache? Anything that makes him not think so damn much. Quick Release hombre. Quick.

ORR!! I wondered the same things the day it happened. Why didn’t NBC have any appropriate angle of that goal? I didn’t even get to see how it went in. I can’t believe that the NBC clock would be off by a critical margin but I guess it was.

I doubt a conspiracy but I do agree that the way it has been handled is less than forthcoming.

Has anyone seen Nathan Gerbe play lately? I don’t know when he was drafted, but this guy can really play. His wrist shot against the grain to beat Boicher last night was a thing of beauty.
I’m only bringing him up because if you think MZA is tiny, take a look at Gerber.
Zuccarello has shown rare flashes this year, so I don’t know if Gerbe is just more talented, or if it’s a confidence thing playing at this level.
Gerbe can fly, and should be able to at his height, but I don’t see that speed and explosiveness from MZA, whose not much taller.